Spanish Castle Magic by Jimi Hendrix

Album: Axis: Bold As Love (1967)

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Songfacts®:

When Hendrix was living in Seattle, it was a very segregated city. The Spanish Castle was, in the '60s, the Premier teen night club in the Seattle area, but Jimi's bands never played there. Eventually, Hendrix left Seattle and made history. >>
Suggestion credit:
Mark - Seattle, WA
Noel Redding played a 8-string Hagstrom bass on this. At that time, there were only 2 of these instruments in the country: Redding's one and a left-hand model for Hendrix.
Hendrix used his octavia device on his guitar, which could alter the pitch. He also used the octavia on "Purple Haze." and piano on this song.
Hendrix played the piano on this. >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 3
At Woodstock, Hendrix included this track in his headlining set, which didn't start until 9 a.m. the morning after the festival was scheduled to end.

Comments: 9

Denny from Camano Island WaSadly Pat O'Day our Rock-n-Roll DJ and music promoter legend passed away last year (2020). Mark also failed to mention the musical inspiration contributed by Eddie Kramer for Spanish Castle magic.
Chris from Snohomish, WaI can guarantee you Jimi played at the Castle. As young teens 2 of us managed to sneak in, and peer from behind stage and watch a left handed mad man mezmorize the entire place, a real tragedy he's gone,but will never be forgotten, and neither will that one brief moment in time seeing the master at work. And, be busted by the one and only also, although he threw his head back and laughed and asked, "did ya like"? like there was any other answer than Hell YEah!! Pat's right, the band did not play there
but Jimi did. Did he ever!!
Pat O'day from Seattle, WaMay I clear the air on the Jimi Hendrix "Spanish Castle Magic" issue. You see, my company, Concerts West handled Jimi's tours until his death. Jimi elected to go with our firm after urging from agent Ron Terry in New York and Jimi's knowledge of me. Jimi would attend the dances I ran weekly when a KJR Seattle Deejay in the early 60's at a ballroom midway between Seattle and Tacoma Washington. On one occasion, Jimi who always had his amplifier in his car and when the band of the night blew theirs, Jim went to his car, got the amp, loaned it to the group and played with the group as well.
He titled that song Spanish Castle Magic because of his love for that place and those weekly dances. How do I know this? Jimi was a close friend of mine and he told me several times! Jimi was an American treasure, a musical pioneer, an artist of extrodinary daring, and a simply wonderful, caring, tender, brilliant, gentleman. I was so blessed to know and work with him.
I appreciate the opportunity to get this story straight!
Pat O'Day
Josh from TorontoNo matter what this song means, it's my favourite Hendrix song, and he's one of the best ever, so that's saying a lot for this song. And Jimi Hendrix is best guitarist ever!
Guy from Woodinville, WaRick of Seattle is absolutely correct. The first stage Jimi ever appeared on was the Spanish Ballroom. At that time, he was just a kid with a guitar and a good amp, he didn't have a band. Don't paint Seattle as racist! Jimi probably had more white fans in Seattle than black fans.
Kimy from Detroit, MiRonnie...he says "It's very far away, takes about a half a day...IF YOU TRAVEL BY DRAGONFLY!!!"
Ronnie from Wh, FlAnd another note is the fact of him saying it took half a day to get there is a lie because it really took two hours. You should check out the book called Room Full of Mirrors which is a biography about hendrix it is a good book.
Rick from Seattle, WaI have to disagree about Mark's comments that "Seattle ...was a very segregated city", and that Jimi Hendrix never played at the Spanish Castle. By early 1960's standards, Seattle was a fairly diverse city (compared with the rest of the U.S.).

While Jimi Hendrix's band never played the Spanish Castle, Jimi did. Pat O'Day, the legendary Seattle D.J. and Concert promoter, remembers this "skinny black kid" would bring his amp and guitar with him and ask if he could play on stage with the band. Lots of bands blew their amps in those days, so many would let him play with them as long as he loaned them his amp. Jimi had to go to Britain and return to the U.S. before he really became a star, but he had fond memories of his "Spanish Castle" days.

Sources:

History of the Spanish Castle Ballroom:
http://www.historylink.org/output.cfm?file_id=3826

Pat O'Day's Autobiography: "It Was All Just Rock & Roll"
http://www.pat-oday.com/
Spencer from Madison, Wii must agree with my merry chinatown man: soooooo badass

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